Congressional, Assembly candidates get cash infusion before election

The latest campaign disclosure statements show congressional and Assembly candidates on the Central Coast are ramping up their fundraising and spending ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

In the contentious race for the 24th Congressional District, one of the most expensive campaigns in the country, Democrat Salud Carbajal continues to lead Republican opponent Justin Fareed in total fundraising since the beginning of their campaigns. But Fareed outraised and outspent Carbajal in the latest filing period, from July1 through Sept.30.

In campaign disclosure statements released Saturday, Carbajal, a Santa Barbara County supervisor, reported raising $600,871 in the three-month span, about 21percent of the nearly $2.8million his campaign has raised so far. He spent $454,020 during this period, leaving him with $688,515 on hand with no outstanding debts.

Carbajal’s largest contributions this filing period came from individuals, the California Democratic Party, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and labor unions, as well as political action committees (PACs) tied to the Democratic Party and the campaign committees of several Democratic members of Congress.

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Fareed, of Goleta, a self-described businessman and vice president of his parents’ company ProBand Sports Industries, raised $752,233 of his campaign total of more than $2million from July1 through Sept.30 but spent $604,828 — outspending Carbajal by more than $150,000. He ended the latest period with $440,897 — $247,618 less than his opponent. Fareed also reported $77,627 in outstanding debts.

Fareed raised funds this period from individual donors as well as the National Republican Congressional Committee, campaign committees for Republican members of Congress and conservative PACs including San Luis Obispo Cattlemen’s PAC.

35th California Assembly District

In the race for the Republican-leaning 35th California Assembly District, Democratic candidate Dawn Ortiz-Legg raised nearly $170,000 more than her Republican opponent, Jordan Cunningham, and outspent Cunningham by about $106,000 in the three-month span from July1 through Sept.24 (the state filing period differs from the federal one).

Ortiz-Legg reported raising $530,807 during the three-month period, nearly 80percent of the total $680,058 she’s raised. Ortiz-Legg also spent more this period than any other — $361,044 of the total $498,874 she’s spent the entire race.

Ortiz-Legg, a San Luis Obispo-based solar energy consultant, ended the period with more cash on hand than Cunningham, with $189,944. She reported $3,820 in debts.

Her larger contributors this period include the California Democratic Party, the Democratic Central Committee for Marin County, the campaign committees for various Democratic state assembly members, and PACs for various education and labor unions, including the California State University Employees Union.

Cunningham, a Templeton-based attorney, raised nearly 70percent of his total $524,055 contributions in the last three-month filing period — $361,704. He spent $254,747, leaving him with a balance of $178,246 and an outstanding debt of $20,962.

Cunningham’s donors in the last period include the California Republican Party, the Republican Party of San Luis Obispo County, PACs representing several labor unions, companies such as Phillips 66 and Phillip Morris USA, and individuals including San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow and Assessor Tom Bordonaro.